Twisted bar cage

ABSTRACT

A thrust-bearing cage is provided with twisted bars. The smaller width portion of the bar is connected to the inner rim, while the normal bar width is connected to the outer rim. Thus, more rollers can be placed in a cage having a predetermined inside diameter than can be placed in conventional cages having the same inside diameter.

llnite States Patent [191 Ailing [111 3,7S7fl4 Jan. 22, 1974 PrimaryExaminer-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-Frank Susko Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Frank S. Troidl A thrust-bearing cage is provided withtwisted bars. The smaller width portion of the bar is connected to theinner rim, while the normal bar width is connected to the outer rim.Thus, more rollers can be placed in a cage having a predetermined insidediameter than can be placed in conventional cages having the same insidediameter.

ABSTRACT 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Ewe 5&9332.

PATENTED JAN 2 2197;

r A w TWISTED BAR CAGE This invention relates to bearings. Moreparticularly, this invention is a new and improved bearing cagespecifically invented to increase the number of rollers which can beplaced in a thrust bearing.

Briefly described, our new bearing cage comprises an inner rim and anouter rim of greater diameter than the inner rim. A plurality of spacedmembers interconnect the two rims. The spaced members comprise a firstrectangular bar portion extending from the outer rim toward the innerrim, and a second rectangular bar portion extending from the inner rimtoward the outer rim, with the two portions integrally connected by atwisted portion. The first bar portion has a greater width than height;the second bar portion has a greater height than width.

The invention, as well as its many advantages, may be further understoodby reference to the following de tailed description and drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of my new thrustbearing cage with thebearings removed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a isometric view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of my newtwisted-bar cage with a roller shown in place within the cage; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 1, the new twisted-bar cage includes an inner rim l0,and an outer rim 12 of greater diameter. A plurality of spaced members14 interconnect the inner rim and the outer rim.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, each spaced member 14includes a rectangular bar portion 16 which is connected integrally tothe outer rim 12 by a U-shaped member 18. The rectangular bar portion 16is also integrally connected to the rectangular bar portion 20 through atwisted portion 22. The twisted portion occurs at approximately thelongitudinal center of the spaced member 14. Bar portion 20 isintegrally connected to the inner rim 10. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4,the inner rim is corrugated.

With currently used cages, in order to have sufficient strenght and toprevent the rollers 24 (see FIG. 3) from falling outwardly through thecage, it is necessary that the minimum width of each spaced member 14be, say, two and one-half times its height. (With conventional barcages, this ratio is the same throughout the length of the bar.) Thenumber of rollers which can be inserted in a cage is limited by thespaces between the bars adjacent the inner rim because the inner rim hasa diameter less than the outer rim.

By twisting the members 14 to provide a smaller width adjacent the innerrim, I have provided the art with a bar cage which will allow the use ofmore rollers than can be now used with conventional cages having thesame inside diameter as my new bar cage and at the with the top of thesecond same time, provided the necessary limited space between eachmember 14 to guide the rollers 24. In the embodiment described herein,the width and height of the bar portion 16 are approximately equal tothe height and width, respectively, of the bar portion 20. The inner rim10 is so corrugated that the complete cage is of a generally annularform. Hence, the twistedbar cage can be used with known thrust races.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the base 26 of barportion 16 is aligned with the top 28 of bar portion 20. Thisarrangement, along with the U- shaped portion 18, inner rim l0, andouter rim 12, allows the rollers 24 to be located within the twisted-barcage in the most advantageous manner. Specifically, the pitch line ofthe roller 24 bears against the inner edges of the outer rim 12 andinner rim 10 allowing maximum roller length. Also, the cylindricalsurface of the rollers 24 at the pitch line bears against the innerupright side 25 of the U-shaped members 18 and the center 27 of theheight portion of the rectangular bar portion 20.

Thus, the new twisted-bar cage provides all the advantages ofconventional cages while increasing the number of rollers which can beplaced within a cage of a particular inside diameter.

I claim:

1. A bearing cage for a thrust bearing comprising:

an inner rim; and outer rim of greater diameter than the inner rim; aplurality of spaced members interconnecting the inner rim and the outerrim, each of said members including a first rectangular bar portionextending from the outer rim toward the inner rim and having a greaterwidth than height, a second rectangular bar portion extending from theinner rim toward the outer rim and having a greater height than width,with the rectangular bar portions being integrally interconnected by atwisted portion.

2. A bearing cage in accordance with claim I wherein the twisted portionis located at the approximate longitudinal center of the member.

3. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 2 wherein the inner rim iscorrugated.

4. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 3 wherein the width and theheight of the first rectangular bar portions are approximately equal tothe height and the width, respectively, of the second rectangular barportion.

5. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 4 wherein the outer rim isconnected to the first rectangular bar portion by a substantiallyU-shaped interconnecting member.

6. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 5 wherein the base of thefirst rectangular bar portion is aligned rectangular portion.

1. A bearing cage for a thrust bearing comprising: an inner rim; and outer rim of greater diameter than the inner rim; a plurality of spaced members interconnecting the inner rim and the outer rim, each of said members including a first rectangular bar portion extending from the outer rim toward the inner rim and having a greater width than height, a second rectangular bar portion extending from the inner rim toward the outer rim and having a greater height than width, with the rectangular bar portions being integrally interconnected by a twisted portion.
 2. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 1 wherein the twisted portion is located at the approximate longitudinal center of the member.
 3. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 2 wherein the inner rim is corrugated.
 4. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 3 wherein the width and the height of the first rectangular bar portions are approximately equal to the height and the width, respectively, of the second rectangular bar portion.
 5. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 4 wherein the outer rim is connected to the first rectangular bar portion by a substantially U-shaped interconnecting member.
 6. A bearing cage in accordance with claim 5 wherein the base of the first rectangular bar portion is aligned with the top of the second rectangular portion. 